Fixing wireless "hidden network" problem on Windows 7

Anonymous
2009-12-02T05:09:46+00:00

I've read a post by a previous user who seemed to be having a similar problem as me, but the response he received didn't help solve the problem and I suspect this to be a genuine bug in Windows 7, but that remains to be seen.

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7network/thread/0d9e680f-8025-4863-9242-f990c64ea8bd <- a link to the aforementioned thread.

Connecting to  my wireless network (which has been online for years and served dozens of machines no problem), yesterday I attempted to connect running Windows 7 and received the following error message in my troubleshooting dialog: "Windows can't connect to the hidden network."

More specifically: "This network is marked as a "hidden" network and is either not in range of this computer or the wireless settings saved on this computer do not match the settings of the network."

My network is not hidden, SSID broadcasting is on, I am using a valid key and the network has full strength from my wireless connection utility. Does anyone know how to fix this problem or why it seems to be only happening on Windows 7, and only reporting that the problem is that the network is hidden?

Thanks

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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Anonymous
2009-12-09T11:29:14+00:00

Do you use WEP encryption?

Maybe I will answer to your question using google results. When you get to the last page of results for

Do you see some correlation? Majority of results include information about WEP. Some of topics were never answered. Those one were the solution was found include suggestion about changing WEP encryption. 

Try to set another security type in your router's settings and use it in your network setting under Windows 7. I'm using security type: WPA2, and encryption type: AES and everything works fine.

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  1. Anonymous
    2009-12-09T10:50:44+00:00

    I will look for similar topic and maybe I will manage to find some solution... but look at google results with a phrase (not single words but phrase) "Windows can't connect to the hidden network" - only 3 results... it almost doesn't mean anything... but people didn't mention about that dialog message when they are reporting some errors.

    About that that you cannot connect to some other network in your vicinity - it doesn't mean anything, at least as long as you won't try connect with different laptop. These network may be not protected with a password but they can block your laptop's MAC ADDRESS so you have no chance to connect to them.

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-12-09T02:03:10+00:00

    Have you tried connecting using wired connection excluding router? Does the trouble exist only with wireless connection or maybe wired too?

    If this was a bug.. I shouldn't be able use my wireless connection too.

    • If you have a possibility to check does the problem exist with different wireless connections you really should do this.
    • If you can connect to different wireless network it probably means that something wrong is with your router.
    • If you can connect using a wire to your router that means something is wrong with your wireless adapter/wireless settings
    • If you can't connect nowhere.. no matter where.. no matter how.. only than you can be sure that you have trouble with Windows.

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-12-09T01:38:05+00:00

    I tried what you suggested above. It did not work. DO YOU KNOW HOW MICROSOFT CAN BE INFORMED OF THIS PROBLEM? I DO BELIEVE THIS IS A WINDOW7 BUG.

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  4. Anonymous
    2009-12-02T18:31:59+00:00

    Have you changed some wireless setting under Windows 7 before you tried to connect (using Connect under displayed network name from the list from notification area icon) to that network?

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